Absolum Beginner's Guide: How to Survive the First Hour Without Crying
Welcome to Talamh, a lovely place where everything wants to kill you. This guide is your best shot at surviving long enough to actually enjoy the scenery.
So you've just dropped into Absolum, the new roguelite beat-'em-up that's as gorgeous as it is punishing. The world is a beautiful, hand-drawn landscape filled with fascinating creatures, deep lore, and a combat system that feels incredible once you get the hang of it. It's also a game that will gleefully beat you into the ground, take your lunch money, and send you right back to the start.
The game expects you to die, learn, and come back stronger. But that learning process can be a real pain. To save you some of the initial frustration, I've put together the essential guide to get you started. We'll cover the basics of combat, how to build your characters, and the key strategies you need to survive your first few runs through the war-torn lands of Talamh.
The Story So Far: Why Is Everyone Trying to Kill You?
The world of Talamh is a wreck. Eighteen years ago, a magical cataclysm gave the tyrant Sun King Azra the excuse he needed to outlaw magic and seize power. With his army of faceless Crimson Order soldiers, he hunted down the mages, slaughtered the peaceful mowlaï race, and imprisoned the land's mystical protectors, the Root Sisters.
Now, he rules from his fortress in Asterios, demanding tribute from the starving villages. You play as one of the last rebels, a small band of warriors fighting to restore balance and put an end to Azra's reign. Your mission is simple: the Sun King must die.
Combat 101: How to Not Die Immediately
Absolum's combat is fast, fluid, and deep. You're not just a button-masher; you're a nimble warrior.
The Basics: You have a fast Strike button for combos and a slower, more powerful Skill button. You can chain Strikes into a Skill for a powerful finisher. You can also perform running attacks and a full suite of air attacks.
Defense is Your Best Offense: You can Dodge by double-tapping up or down, or by using the Dash button. More importantly, if you Dash into an attack just before it hits, you'll Deflect it, leaving your enemy open. You can cancel almost any of your own attacks with a Dash, so you can switch from offense to defense in an instant. Mastering this is crucial.
Use Your Damn Magic: As you hit enemies, you'll build Mana. You can spend this on powerful Arcanas. These magic skills not only deal massive damage but also grant you a moment of invincibility, making them a perfect "get out of jail free" card when you're about to take a big hit.
Your Sanctuary: The Hearth
Between runs, you'll return to Uchawi's Hearth, your home base. This is where you get stronger.
The Tree of Talamh: This is your permanent upgrade tree. Spend the Crystals you collect on your runs here to unlock powerful new abilities and passive buffs.
Ederig the Veteran: This guy will teach you new combat techniques in exchange for certain items you find in the world. Talk to him often.
The Campfire: Interact with the campfire to switch between the four playable characters. Even if you have a favorite, it's worth switching just to see if your other party members have new dialogue.
Character Builds: Picking Your Poison
There are four playable characters in Absolum, and each has a unique playstyle. Here are some of the best builds to aim for as you start unlocking more Rituals and Trinkets.
Galandra: The Rushdown Queen
Galandra is all about speed and aggression, using her running attacks and throws to control the battlefield.
Best Arcana: Reaper Cyclone. This spinning attack sucks in enemies and deals continuous damage, perfect for crowd control.
Key Inspirations: Burial Smash and Dark Grip turn your grab-and-slam into a high-damage, mana-generating machine.
Essential Trinkets: Stack items that boost your move speed and run attack damage, like the Juggernaut Helmet and Jaroba Oil.
Karl: The Ranged Menace
Karl is the game's resident gunslinger, designed to stay at a distance and pepper enemies with a constant barrage of attacks. This build turns him into a living turret.
Best Arcana: Rifle Bullet. It fires multiple fast-moving projectiles, perfect for spamming from a safe distance.
Key Inspirations: The combination of Reload and Infused Shells is insane. It lets you instantly replenish your mana while also staggering any enemies that get too close.
Essential Trinkets: This build is all about raw damage. Stack common trinkets like Whetstone (crit damage), Lucky Charm (crit chance), and Eyeball Charm (single-target damage).
Brome: The Human Wrecking Ball
Brome's best build is a hit-and-run strategy built around his incredibly powerful Drill Rush inspiration.
Best Arcana: Rage Barrage. This "fire and forget" arcana summons homing projectiles, letting you focus on dashing around the screen.
Key Inspirations: Drill Rush is your bread and butter. You'll deal insane damage while being almost impossible to pin down.
Essential Trinkets: The Juggernaut Helmet is a must-have, as it buffs your run attacks, which includes Drill Rush. Combine it with speed-boosting items like Jaroba Oil.
Cider: The Aerial Acrobat
Cider excels in the air, using her unique movement abilities to stay above the fray and rain down death from above.
Best Arcana: Rising Drill. This attack launches you and nearby enemies into the air, setting you up for devastating aerial combos.
Key Inspirations: Pneumatic Heels gives you an extra air dash, while Slice and Dice adds damage to your dashes. Magnetic Jump helps you stay airborne for longer.
Essential Trinkets: Stack Feather Charms to boost your aerial damage. The Winged Boots are also a game-changer, giving you unlimited dashes for a few seconds after using an Arcana.
Essential Tips for Your First Few Runs
Break Everything. Seriously. Barrels, crates, and even piles of leaves can hide food, gold, and the precious Crystals you need for permanent upgrades.
Health is a Luxury. Health drops are rare. It's almost always better to learn how to avoid taking damage than to rely on finding food to heal it back.
Clashing is Key. Learning to parry enemy attacks by dashing into them is the single most important defensive skill in the game. Karl's headbutt is particularly good for this.
Juggles are Your Friend. An enemy that's being juggled in the air can't hit you back. Experiment with each character's attacks to see how you can launch enemies and keep them airborne.
Punish the Bosses. After a boss does a big, telegraphed attack, they'll be vulnerable for a few seconds. Hit them during this window to deal massive "Punish" damage and build up their stun meter.
The Journey Has Just Begun
Don't get discouraged by death. Every run is a chance to learn enemy patterns, gather more Crystals, and come back stronger. Eventually, you will reach Sun King Azra. And when you beat him, you'll discover that your journey is far from over. If you want to see what lies beyond the first ending, be sure to check out our guide on how to find and defeat Absolum's secret final boss.
Now get out there, rebel. Talamh isn't going to save itself.